My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
So, it’s official. Freedom has Lyme disease. The second round of blood tests were positive both for the SNAP test and the Cornell Multiplex. He’s symptoms indicated Lyme but it’s always nice to know you are treating something. As we embark on his treatment, I thought I’d share with you some of the things I’ve […]
Read MoreToday Freedom started to feel more like himself. I hadn’t taken him out for the past two days, what with the rain and my work schedule. Today was beautiful, sunny and warm. I thought we’d go for a nice long walk and see how he felt at the trot. He would have none of that. […]
Read MoreI got the results of the multiplex test today. Freedom is on the low end of positive — his titer is 1600 and they recommend treatment for anything above 1200. My vet recommends keeping him on Doxy for six weeks. Since he’s showing no adverse signs to it, that’s what I’m planning to do. Interestingly, […]
Read MoreI couldn’t hunt today but at least I can dream about it. This postcard is from the early 1900s. It looks idyllic to me! Freedom is being a good boy and eating his Doxy without complaint. Life is so much easier with a horse that doesn’t require meds in a syringe. That really only works […]
Read MoreConsidering how many horses are being treated for Lyme disease in the North East, you’d think that there would be more definitive research about Lyme and its treatment. In truth, there is still a lot that we (the royal we here, including veterinary researchers) just don’t know about how Lyme (and other tick-borne diseases) affect […]
Read MoreAbout a month ago I had a bad ride on Freedom. It was right around the time he got hives, back at the end of August. I took him over to the ring intending to hop over a few fences. He was unusually reticent and clumsy. Freedom hardly ever touches a fence and yet he […]
Read MoreFreedom is a tick magnet. Although there are four other horses at our barn, he seems to be the one with the most ticks on him. Maybe they think he looks like a deer? Lyme disease and other tick-borne problems are a big issue in New England. One mare in our barn just finished a […]
Read MoreLast year when the vets were trying to figure out what was the matter with Kroni one of the things they prescribed was Doxycycline, thinking it might be a tick-borne disease. I had ordered the 500 pill bottle for him and marveled over how little it cost. Often when I buy it for my son […]
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